Don't talk to Maoists: Bengal govt tells officers

After Maoist leader Kishenji's recent phone call to Environment Secretary M L Meena, the West Bengal government on Tuesday cautioned officials against speaking to leaders of outlawed organisations.

"Why should any of our officers talk to Kishenji? We don't need discussions with any leader of an outlawed organisations like the Communist party of India - Maoist," Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen told reporters.

Sen, however, ruled out issuing a circular to government officials, saying, "We don't need to give any circular. Our officers should not talk to any such leaders."

He said Kishenji rang up Meena on the issue of pollution by sponge iron units in West Midnapore district. A sponge iron factory was also set ablaze in Jhargram in the district recently. On December 27, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had said in Delhi that he had come to know of Meena's telephone conversation with Kishenji through the newspapers and would talk to him on his return to Kolkata.

To another question, Sen said the whereabouts of outlawed leaders could not be pinpointed by mobile towers.

"This is wrong. Then, the Centre could set up high-tech towers to all Naxal-affected states to detect the whereabouts of leaders of outlawed organisations," he said.

The chief minister had earlier said that though the mobile tower could be pinpointed, it was difficult to determine Kisheji's location when he spoke to the media.